Course summary
The role of craft is continually evolving. As society rethinks our relationship with the planet and the impact of throwaway culture, the origin, quality and meaning of objects in our lives have never been more significant. Be part of the crafts resurgence that is committed to shaping a better future. Develop a personally sustainable practice, rooted in material understanding, drawing the best of the past but passionate for innovation. Think with your hands as well as your brain. You will be encouraged to challenge the traditional notions of design craft, by investigating a wide variety of processes and exploring new ways of working with materials, objects and ideas. We support collaborative working across a range of disciplines, understanding how this can lead to exciting innovation and prepare students to forge new paths as independent makers, designers and entrepreneurs or carry craft values and practice into different fields of employment. This course blends new design principles and an innovative approach to process, together with material knowledge and craft skills developed through hands-on making. You will explore an ongoing dialogue between materials, process and ideas whilst advancing your skills within our specialist workshops. With regular sessions in wood, metal, ceramic and textiles you will develop expertise in key making practices. You will be invited to respond to a rich and varied range of subjects including cultural, ethical and environmental issues. By taking part in a series of external projects you will improve your ability to create objects within a professional and critically reflective framework. Materials and making is core to much of what we do. Our workshop facilities provide you with the space to think, question and develop ideas. You will gain a solid grounding in making skills, with expert guidance from our workshop team. Our workshops represent the foundation for learning new skills and processes. You will have the opportunity to collaborate across a range of disciplines, leading to deeper understanding and exciting innovations. As part of the process of defining your practice as a maker you will also be encouraged to develop your critical thinking skills and contextual knowledge, through thought-provoking critical studies sessions, Throughout the course, you will be encouraged to challenge and push boundaries to explore new realms in craft and design. Industry Links Over your three years of study, you will be given the opportunity to develop your professional networks through a variety of collaborations, live briefs and industry experience. We have worked with the Hay Festival, National Trust, Hereford Cathedral and Made by Hand Contemporary Craft Festival. With access to some of the most exciting makers and thinkers working within the world of design and craft today, you will gain the knowledge to develop and apply your skills across a wide variety of different contexts. After this Course You will be fully equipped with the skills and experience to become a self- employed designer-maker and follow a portfolio career path. Our graduates also find employment within the creative sector, pursuing careers within both contemporary and traditional craft industries. Graduate destinations frequently include cultural sector employment, arts administration, curation, museum and heritage, postgraduate study and teaching. Highlights 1. This is a practice-based degree with plenty of time in workshops. 2. Individual design spaces with excellent access to teaching staff. 3. Masterclasses with leading craft professionals. 4. A programme of visiting lecturers from around the world bringing cutting edge practice to HCA students. 5. Final year students have exhibited at high profile graduate showcase exhibitions in London such as New Designers. 6. Bespoke professional practice modules concerning post programme goals, including business planning, marketing and work placement.
Modules
From your first day at HCA you will work as a creative, developing your skills and your own voice through a series of projects. You will develop your creative practice, practical skills alongside your critical awareness and theoretical knowledge. You will study a range of modules that build your knowledge and confidence and total 120 credits each year. YEAR ONE: Practice in Context 1 (20 Credits), Practice 1 (30), Practice 2 (30), Foundations for Learning (20). Skills 1 (20) YEAR TWO: Practice in Context 2 (20), Practice 3 (30), Practice 4 (30), Professional Practice 1 (20), Skills 2 (20) YEAR THREE: Practice in Context 3 (20), Practice 5 (30), Practice 6 (60), Professional Practice 2 (10)
How to apply
31Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- W900
- Institution code:
- H18
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
- Year 2
International applicants
International applicants must be 18 years of age as at the 01 September in the year of entry.
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 80 points
Mature applicants with relevant experience will be considered. Portfolio and interview also required. Applicants whose first language is not English and require a Student Visa must achieve Level B2 in an approved secure English language test prior to enrolment. For further guidance please visit the UK Visa and immigration website: https://www.gov.uk/student-visa.
Additional entry requirements
Interview
Portfolio
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £9000 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9000 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9000 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9000 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9000 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9000 | Year 1 |
| International | £13475 | Year 1 |
Additional fee information
In addition to the degree fees, the nature of creative arts practice means you will need to allow for additional costs, such as the materials you choose to use in your work and for trips to external events & exhibitions. The courses at HCA have been designed to minimise the impact of additional costs; all course leaders have an annual budget with some trips & materials fully funded by the College or heavily subsidised. However, typically, a student will choose to spend an additional £250 in the first year, £375 in the second year and £400 in their final year, depending on nature of their work and materials chosen.
We appreciate that not all students will be able to invest the same money in their work, and staff assessing it will not judge work by the cost of materials or resources. The college shop includes many specialist materials at good value and digital equipment can be borrowed from the media stores at no cost to students.
Students are offered an optional Adobe Creative Cloud subscription for use outside of college. In the 2022-23 academic year this cost £16.24 per month. NB: Adobe Creative Cloud is provided free to use for any student working within the college.
Students on all courses will also have the chance to take part in optional trips that require payments towards their costs. Again, non-attendance will not incur assessment penalties, though trips are designed to help students develop their practice. There is an optional annual cross-course residential trip abroad. In the 2023-24 academic year, the trip was a four-day visit to Paris at a cost to students of £425. This fee included a shared dorm room and all travel costs from Hereford to Paris including Eurostar tickets.
**Support Available from Hereford College of Arts**
The HCA Cash Bursary: is designed to benefit students who are starting Higher Education for the first time; are ordinarily resident in England; the student must be liable to pay the full £9,000 tuition fee for their course and be from a low-income family (£25,000 a year or less). The student must also be in receipt of the full Higher Education Maintenance Loan. Each cash bursary is £1,000 which students receive in their first year only.
**Care Leaver Bursary**
Care leavers will be offered free accommodation with City Heart at Station Approach accommodation for their first year only. Care leaver students will be able to stay there until the end of their first year (not over the Summer) and will also receive the Cash Bursary of £1,000. Care leaver students will also receive a Care Leaver Bursary of £1,000 in both their second and third year. Evidence of being a care leaver must be in the form of an original letter showing Care Leaver Status from your local authority.
**Partner Colleges Progression Bursary**
A Progression Bursary of £500 is available to students from our progression partner colleges*, in their first year only, who have successfully completed a Level 3 or equivalent course within the last 2 academic years and progress on to a degree programme at HCA.
*Partner Colleges: Bath College, Belfast Met College, Bourneville, South & City College, Cirencester College, City of Bristol College, Coleg y Cymoedd, Dudley College, Evesham College, Gloucestershire College – ALL Campuses, Gower College, Grantham College, Halesowen College, Heart of Worcestershire College, Hereford College of Arts, Herefordshire & Ludlow College, Hereford Sixth Form College, Malvern Hills College, Newent Sixth Form College, NWRC Derry, NPTC group, Plumpton College, Shrewsbury College, South Gloucestershire & Stroud College, Stratford Upon Avon College, Swindon College & Worcester Sixth Form College
**Internal Progression Bursary**
All students who have studied & successfully completed a Level 3 course within the last two academic years at HCA and progress to undergraduate study at HCA will be eligible to receive a bursary of £500 in their first year.
Provider information
Hereford College of Arts
Folly Lane
Hereford
HR1 1LT